Share this post

Link to post

Share on other sites

Interests:Since I'm here, that should be pretty obvious. I spend countless hours on the Web looking up music and movie news and info. When I'm not doing that, I spend countless hours writing music and movie reviews for my website.

I'm very interested and intrigued by the new Scott Walker disc. I don't listen to Tilt all that often (heck, I probably haven't listened to it in years), but it still fascinates me, as does Walker's enigma. I remember being alternately blown away and absolutely stumped when I first heard it.

And your bit on the Massive Attack release is encouraging. 100th Window has grown on me over the years, but I still find it lacking when compared to the group's other releases (it's amazing to me that Blue Lines can still sound so dated, and yet so ahead of its time even now).

Share this post

Link to post

Share on other sites

The Gotans return with a much more tango oriented recording, but the beats are still there. So is the astonishing vocalist Cristina Vilallonga as well as a full on acoustic tango quartet and the rap act Koxmoz on one track. This one really gets it.

I would recommend checking out their video to go with this recording. It can be found on their site here. You'll have to click on the video link for yourself. Their dancing it so simplisticly elegant...THAT is why I love the tango.

Share this post

Link to post

Share on other sites

I haven't purchased new music in a long time (due to finances), but I've heard several tracks off of some newer releases, and have some suggestions that might be up to a year old (but are largely unknown)...so I hope that is ok :-)

The Last Dance - Once Beautiful (Dancing Ferret Discs)

The follow up to the popular "Whispers In Rage" album. This album on the whole is very good; in many ways, it does not represent a huge change from "Whispers," but the sound is still great so maybe it doesnt have to change :-). The title track, if nothing else, is worth picking it up.

Lunar Eclipse (Cold Fusion Music)

This is the 2nd in a Trilogy of samplers that show us whats new in the world of goth/industrial by Christian artists. See my reveiw in the 5th issue of www.theunscenezine.com for a complete review (free pdf downloads!!!!)

Regenerator - Disease (WTIII)

I have not heard the whole album yet, but based on my knowledge of previous releases, it should be very solid. They have two tracks up on their myspace page called "Apnea" and "Organism" - both are great dance-floor hits, gaurnteed to get even the most apathetic goth/industrial/ebm fan to dance along with the rest.

As Ember (indy)

Once again, I have yet to get the whole album, but I've heard about half of it. The stuff I have heard has blown me away - imagine older Evanescence (but a bit more metalish at times), only BETTER .

The mixing is a bit rough at times (since they don't have professional production), but if they were to get good production, they would totally beat the tar out of most of the stuff being played on 'alternative/hard rock stations' right now. For fans of Evanescence, Tapping the Vein, and Lacuna Coil. www.asember.com

I've dropped their name a couple times here in the past and will do so again. The Benevento Russo Duo (or just The Duo) are hands down my favorite new music discovery of the past year. An organ and drum duo (with occasional guest bass player Mike Gordon), these guys demonstrate the best of the modern improvisational groups-- great songs, robust musicianship, a broad vocabulary and a love of exploration and fun. Their new album will be out in the summer and here's an mp3 of the opening track... a brooding, emotional little comp that starts the slow burn around the 5-6 min. mark and really gets nice i think. Cant wait for the album.

BTW, Paste listed the Duo in the "4 to watch" a few issues back... their live shows are white hot with a thriving fan base-- I say, look for a break-out in 2006

Edited April 21, 2006 by coltrane

Share this post

Link to post

Share on other sites

Okay, I'll take your word for it. But this album has two strikes against it, in my opinion: 1) Brooooce in troubadour mode, and 2) Pete Seeger. Bruce has made precisely one good folkie album (Nebraska), but that was twenty-four years ago. And Pete Seeger just conjures up images of overly earnest Peter, Paul and Mary songs to me. I know he's written some great ones, but if I had a hammer, I'd conk Pete over the head and put an end to the sappy nonsense.

But ... I keep reading raves about this album, so it sounds like I need to check it out.

Wow. I've always thought that Danny O'Keefe was one of the great unrecognized singer/songwriters, so I'm glad to see he's receiving some long overdue recognition. "Good Time Charlie's Got the Blues" still sounds like a classic to me, and "Quits" is still one of the greatest, saddest divorce songs I've ever heard.

Jolie Holland - Springtime Can Kill You

Agree completely. Holland has one of those voices that sidles up to notes like Billie Holiday. I'm not saying that she's as great a singer as Billie Holiday, but she has a remarkable voice, and her phrasing is impeccable. She's also an intriguing (if sometimes indecipherable) songwriter. There's something delightfully warped about listening to a Billie-soundalike sing "Some people say you got a psychedelic presense/Shinin in the park with a bioluminescense."

I thought the original album (Madman of God) was superb. I was thoroughly impressed by Sussan when I heard her many years ago on Peter Gabriel's Last Temptation of Christ soundtrack and on Brian Eno's Spinner album. And Madman of God exceeded my already high expectations. She's a spectacular singer. I can't wait to hear what Laswell has done with the remixes.

Edited April 24, 2006 by Andy Whitman

Share this post

Link to post

Share on other sites

Interests:Ex-musician on the global road for over a decade, ex-worker of two jobs for seven years, ex-republican, ex-democratic socialist, ex-evangelical. Interests: Film, an invigorating sermon, a great class, a challenging book, snow skiing, roller blading, sky diving, things that bring PEACE in a BUSY BUSY world. Currently seeking a Sabbath. Always desiring to learn and experience more, gaining insight from the knowledge of others.

I haven't seen a thread for The Cloud Room so I just want to mention their CD is frickin ROCK STAR quality, same thing with The Bravery, "I know that's why you love me CHICA..."

All I've been listening to lately are these two... plus The Killers, naturally... And I think I'm falling for Mates of State, too. Some of this throwback 80s stuff is just tasty licky 80s pop fun, and if I can't get it out of my head I most certainly can't stop boppin' around...

I just got an advance copy of a new kids' CD: Dan Zane and Friends - Catch That Train! Very nice -- I mean, the track list is solid, but the guest list is unreal, from Natalie Merchant to Nick Cave to the Blind Boys of Alabama.

Among the songs on this album are some that my kids likely wouldn't ever hear otherwise, songs like Choo Choo Ch' Boogie, I Don't Want Your Millions Mister, and Moonlit Town -- songs they are going to love.

Dan's site is here, but no audio samples. You can hear MP3s from his earlier albums here.

Among the songs on this album are some that my kids likely wouldn't ever hear otherwise, songs like Choo Choo Ch' Boogie, I Don't Want Your Millions Mister, and Moonlit Town -- songs they are going to love.

All Around the Kitchen Cockledoodle-doodle-doo is a favorite in our house.

Share this post

Link to post

Share on other sites

Benevento Russo Duo ... Coltrane, thanks gobs for the recommendation. I'm having a great time with their last album, thanks to your recommendation. Haven't heard anything quite like it. It feels like a collision between the Chemical Brothers and a great jazz band.

I've also been listening to The Little Willies this week. Pleasant, but unremarkable.

Benevento Russo Duo ... Coltrane, thanks gobs for the recommendation. I'm having a great time with their last album, thanks to your recommendation. Haven't heard anything quite like it. It feels like a collision between the Chemical Brothers and a great jazz band.

I love to hear that! Their live shows are out of control with excitement-- a must- see if they're in your area anytime soon, Jeff.

I had no idea where to drop this, but there's FANTASTIC FRIGGIN' NEWS about the Duo's summer tour. This rumor has been floating around for about three months and it has finally been confirmed this week. For those of you peeps up in the Northeast, if you can make a mad dash out of the stadium before Lesh and Friends are wheeled out onto the stage, it is guaranteed to be an amazing show.

Share this post

Link to post

Share on other sites

I'm interested in hearing more about the new Faun Fables disc, Thom! They played a show in my living room a while back and did some of the songs from this project, it was a great performance, highly theatrical.

My favorite right now is the new one from Mecca Normal, entitled "THE OBSERVER"

Over the Rhine's new song "Trouble," an exquisitely sexy number that Karin has written for Linford, that left the packed-to-the-walls crowd at last night's Seattle show breathless and ecstatic. Jiminy, that woman can sing.

It was a short show, but one of the tightest, most confident, most energetic sets I've seen them do.

[giddy fanboy buzz]Anne and I got to chill with them for an hour after the show and talk about life on their new farm, with their new puppy Jake, and about poetry. Apparently Linford's been showing up and presenting poetry at various literary events here and there. Cool. If you go to some of their smaller gigs, you might actually hear some of it.[/giddy fanboy buzz]

Share this post

Link to post

Share on other sites

Interests:Since I'm here, that should be pretty obvious. I spend countless hours on the Web looking up music and movie news and info. When I'm not doing that, I spend countless hours writing music and movie reviews for my website.

Link to post

Share on other sites

[giddy fanboy buzz]Anne and I got to chill with them for an hour after the show and talk about life on their new farm, with their new puppy Jake, and about poetry. Apparently Linford's been showing up and presenting poetry at various literary events here and there. Cool. If you go to some of their smaller gigs, you might actually hear some of it.[/giddy fanboy buzz]

Glad to hear that, Jeffrey! I've got tickets to see them in Nashville on June 2. And, again in Atlanta on June 3. Road trip!

Link to post

Share on other sites

I'll be interested to hear what you think of Hem, Josh. (I'm assuming you'll be staying for both performances at those shows.) It was my first exposure to them.

I've heard some of Hem's records, and I've always found them to be generally solid songwriters and performers, but they really need to find a good producer. As it is, their work mostly just seems sleepy.

Good to hear that OTR is sounding good this tour, Jeffrey. We'll be seeing them in SF on Thursday. Whee!

As for Hem, I've had mixed feelings about them. My wife listened to Eveningland quite a lot, and I got to appreciate it to a certain degree. Still, I find the production to be a little much. They need a producer who will show them how to make music without buffing and polishing every last fade. Well, along comes their album of lives tracks, B-sides, etc., which I'm praying is what they sound like on Thursday because I love the album. It's quite a bit more country, and they really let the tempos and volumes (tempi and volua?) flex. There's one track that veers dangerously close (for Hem) to a dark, almost goth-country sound, with lots of parallel fifths and lyrics about shooting at crows. Where's David Eugene Edwards?

I saw Hem in Eugene last year where they gave a fairly "sleepy" show, but it sounds like they're picking things up a bit.